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┏━━━━°⌜ 赤い糸 ⌟°━━━━┓

-ˋˏ EPISODE ONE, PART THREE ˎˊ-

┗━━━━°⌜ 赤い糸 ⌟°━━━━┛

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CINDERS DANCE STUDIO ,, 10:21PM

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Hmm... I think...

and both look at each other nervously, unsure if they want to be called up or not. Lucky for them, they're not the ones making that decision.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

. His name is cute and he's from , so he probably has a different rap style compared to the traineesI'm looking forward to it.

She smiles, eyes glittering with excitement, completely unaware of the fact that she's just tripled 's nervousness.

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. . .➴ 𝙋.𝙀𝙍𝙎𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙇 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒𝙎

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Hello, I'm and I'm about to scream!

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

When debuted, -sunbaenim caught my attention with her laidback attitude and her unique style of rapping. Ever since she debuted, I've been looking up to her.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Being in the same room as -sunbaenim already had me jittery and excited beforehand. So, when she called my name and said it was cute I almost died on the spot from a heart attack.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

You're supposed to tell us more about yourself.

stares at the interviewer seated behind the camera in confusion and the clip abruptly cuts to about a minute later.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

You guys will cut that out right?

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

(to the camera) Hello, I am , a rap-vocal JYP trainee from Japan!

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Honestly, I was actually hoping for -sunbaenim to call my name when she was choosing between me and -hyung.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Where does that enthusiasm come from?

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Well, being a trainee is already hard enough, let alone being a foreign one. I've shed blood, sweat, and tears training and not once have I ever regretted coming all the way here.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

I'm here to be an idol. In order to do that, I have to learn more about my strengths and weaknesses. If I'm too scared to try new things or ask for criticism, I'll never learn anything, and all that hard work that I've put in thus far would go to waste.

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then walks to the centre stage, bowing down to the mentors as he readies himself for his performance. looks at the male trainee rather sternly, causing to gulp nervously.

performed by

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

As finishes his performance, he nervously bows down to the mentors to thank them. After a few seconds of silence, picks up the microphone to speak.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

I love your spunk and the way you express yourself through your face rather than exaggerated movements. The way you rode the beat was so natural, despite the fact that one of your rhyme schemes towards the end disrupted your flow. Overall, a very nice job for your first evaluation.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

I'm not knowledgeable about rap, but your performance was rather nice. It was creative, and the rhyme scheme was interesting, especially with the merging of English and Korean. Keep up the good work.

then not-so-subtly gives a thumbs-up and a warm smile.

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. . .➴ 𝙋.𝙀𝙍𝙎𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙇 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒𝙎

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

When -sunbaenim approved of 's performance, I was kind of shocked.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

After 's I just thought her standards were extremely high, and that she would be near impossible to please.

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⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

I have to say ... that wasn't bad. You really know how to take command of the stage and project a confident aura, which isn't easy to do.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

However, you have a tendency to lose your breath and your flow falters a bit because of that. Practice pacing yourself rather than rushing through it. Good job, I'm looking forward to seeing more of you in the future.

nods in agreement to the rap mentor's comments on his weaknesses, and quickly thanks her before going back to his seat.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Now, does anyone wanna come up next? Or do you prefer to sit there being oxygen thieves like ?

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

What- I haven't even done anything!

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Exactly.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

I've been helping trainees recover from the trauma they get from your... bullying.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

What bullying? Boys, am I scary?

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Y... No!

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

See? Your points are invalid. Why don't you prove me wrong by picking someone to go next?

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

What...if I had known that I was gonna get bullied, I wouldn't have come.

shoots a mischievous glare while the latter scans the list of male trainees in front of him.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Hmm... I guess I'll go with

The boys beside start to cheer, hyping him up. One of them being his labelmate,

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. . .➴ 𝙋.𝙀𝙍𝙎𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙇 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒𝙎

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

-hyung is like a brother to me. As soon as he joined , he took on the role of an older brother, and looked after me as he understood the hardships I had to go through as a foreigner.

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⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Hello, I am an Australian dance-vocal trainee from .

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

As a kid, I had commitment issues, and could never stick with just one hobby. However, once I discovered dance, it was like everything fell right into place. I genuinely wanted to push my limits, and wanted to perfect the skill as best I could. Of course, I had some doubts about whether it was a feasible career path, but announced that they would be holding auditions in Australia, so I decided to just go for it.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

When the judges revealed they enjoyed my performance, I was sure that I'd finally found my purpose. I joined the company soon after, and have been working ever since.

A video of training with many trainees, including 'and fellow contestant plays on the screen.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

I hope the audience will support me on my journey!

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confidently walks to centre stage and readies himself for the performance. His gait garners 's admiration, as his lips curve into a smile, clearly looking forward to the performance.

performed by

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

As soon as he's done, is shown looking to the other mentors with an intrigued look on her face. then whispers something to , to which she responds with a nod in agreement. Picking up the mic, is up first to give feedback.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

That was...

gulps anxiously as he waits for to think of how she wants to phrase her comments.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

...actually very impressive! You managed to demonstrate both fluidity and the ability to hit moves sharply, and your facials suited the vibe of the performance without being over or underwhelming. Don't even get me started on your isolations, even I could learn a thing or to from you on those. I believe you'll go far if you keep demonstrating this level of skill, good job.

then gives a smile, lightly clapping her hands to applause for the boy's exceptional performance.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Hmm......

muses as he taps his pencil against the table, staring at his notes. Finally, he looks up with a small smile.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

I'm certainly keeping my eye on you. Which company are you from?

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Entertainment, sir.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

? Dang it, I was hoping that you'd say . (laughs) You had the fluidity and control, but more importantly, you had the confidence and personality. Excellent job, keep it up...and do not let me down.

Picking up her microphone, rests her chin on her left arm, giving off a deadpan expression.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Impeccable footwork. Your body isolations are amazing. The way you moved with such grace and fluidity... I won't go on, so you don't let this performance get to your head. But well done.

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. . .➴ 𝙋.𝙀𝙍𝙎𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙇 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒𝙎

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

I kind of expected positive feedback from the mentors, shocked all of us trainees with his talent. It really made me think "Wow... trainees are not to be messed with."

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

really danced exceptionally well. When he performed, I could see that the dance trainees from felt both impressed and intimidated. To be honest, he was so good that I thought... maybe he can be my dance mentor.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Wait- will -sunbaenim see this interview?

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⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Now, it's 's turn to pick.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Wait what- why me?

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

I suffered abuse earlier on and I refuse to suffer alone.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

(sighs) I sometimes really question how old you are... let's see.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

I'll go with my company-mate.

immediately buries his face in his hands, flustered, as he shyly gets up while the other trainees cheer him on.

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. . .➴ 𝙋.𝙀𝙍𝙎𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙇 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒𝙎

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Hello! I'm a 21-year-old Chinese dance-vocal trainee from .

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

I didn't exactly have the typical joyous, smooth-sailing childhood. As much as I hated the word, I was kind of "obsessed" with kpop for a while as it served as a distraction from my problems.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

Thankfully, my parents were supportive enough to let me pursue my idol dreams. Despite their support and my passion, I still found it hard to keep up with the high standards set by the company.

A video of studying his notes with neatly highlighted pointers alone in a room plays on screen. Over time, the video speeds up, and we can see a time-lapse of the boy getting up to practice in the wee hours of the morning, despite showing clear signs of exhaustion after studying the Korean language for hours.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !! V/O

Not going to lie, I've wanted to just give up at times. The heavy competitive atmosphere here can sometimes make me feel like I'm trapped inside a pressure cooker.

As dances with the other trainees, the late-night practice is suddenly interrupted by walking into the room. A clip of him checking up on and another trainee is shown. The video then cuts back to in the interview room.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

But when I think about the trainers, and even seniors, who are sincere and genuine with their intentions of helping me achieve my dreams, it feels kind of wrong to just let them down. So, I've decided to adopt a positive attitude and push through until the end! I hope the viewers can support me in my dream! (in Chinese) I love you!

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walks up to centre stage with his body stiffened and face showing all signs of stress. He looks at his senior, , anxiously, and only starts to loosen up when the mentor gives him a warm smile.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

You can do this! Fighting!!

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. . .➴ 𝙋.𝙀𝙍𝙎𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙇 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒𝙎

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

I was actually touched by -sunbaenim'ssupport for his junior... It really shows how genuine he is as a mentor on this show, and made me appreciate his presence a lot more.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

When the boy went up, I honestly thought he was about to wet his pants, and was starting to feel worried for him. Thankfully, -sunbaenim's words put him at ease. They're from the same company, and it was touching to see that senior artists at are so kind to their juniors.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

I really admire -sunbaenim. When he saw that was stressed, he didn't care about maintaining the strict mentor persona; it seems like those borders between idol and trainee don't exist for him. He just comforted because he was a boy in need, that's admirable.

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Catching his breath, prepares himself as the music starts playing on the speaker.

performed by

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

As soon as finishes, the mentors all silently look down on the notes they wrote on their clipboards. is the first to pick up the mic to give her comments again.

⸝⸝ ⸃ !!

How do I put this... when people change a "feminine" dance with the intention of making it more "masculine", it's either a hit or miss. You either pull it off extraordinarily well or flop. And while the skill and technique were there, the interpretation was a flop. Some of the moves didn't need to be that harsh, and some of the moves didn't need to be that restrained. Overall, it was not the best even though the technique was completely there.